streamline

American  

[streem-lahyn] / ˈstrimˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a teardrop line of contour offering the least possible resistance to a current of air, water, etc.

2. the path of a particle that is flowing steadily and without turbulence in a fluid past an object.

---

verb (used with object)

streamlined, streamlining

1. to make streamlined.

2. to alter in order to make more efficient or simple.

adjective

1. streamlined.

streamline British  

/ ˈstriːmˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a contour on a body that offers the minimum resistance to a gas or liquid flowing around it

2. an imaginary line in a fluid such that the tangent at any point indicates the direction of the velocity of a particle of the fluid at that point

---

verb

1. to make streamlined

streamline Scientific  

/ strēm′līn′ /

1. To construct or reconstruct an object to reduce the amount of drag it undergoes as it moves through a fluid, especially air or water.

---

streamline Cultural  

1. The line traced by a liquid or gas as it moves. Streamlines are most commonly used in describing the flow of a liquid or gas around a solid object.

---

Discover More

A “streamlined” design is one in which objects that move through a gas or liquid are shaped to match these lines, and therefore reduce the energy required to produce that motion.

Etymology

Origin of streamline

First recorded in 1870–75; stream + line ¹

Explanation

When you streamline something, you're simplifying it to make it more efficient or profitable. When you think of streamlining, think of a bunch of streams coming together to form one stream. This word is about taking something complicated with a lot of parts and turning it into a simpler, sleeker thing. When companies streamline, they cut staff and reorganize to make the business run more smoothly and make more money. When an engineer streamlines a car design, he takes out all the unnecessary parts and makes the engine more efficient.

Example Sentences

Part of Willis’ legacy is an incredible 1937 Streamline Moderne house in the San Fernando Valley in California that she bought with the royalties from “Boogie Wonderland.”

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2025

Simultaneously, there is splendor from the rainbow-colored umbrellas of fruit vendors to the shade of magnolia trees and the glass brick of Streamline Moderne homes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2024

Smith is also a partner in Streamline Global LLC, another of the backers listed for “Rust.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2021

The striking building, completed in 1939, is considered a superlative example of Streamline Moderne architecture.

From Washington Post • Oct. 28, 2021

As he crawled out into the space forward of us where the engine was, it seemed as if the Streamline had broken down suddenly and completely.

From The War Terror by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

Related Words

• build
• carve
• construct
• embody
• fashion
• forge
• frame
• mold
• produce